Ventilated-seat structure



R. KERR, SR. VENTILATED SEAT STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1919.

1,356A93, Patented Oct. 19,1920.

7 Y W F l/VVE/VTOR 24 (XI films:

41: ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES ROBERT KERR, SR, OF MANHATTAN, KANSAS.

VENTILATED-SEAT STRUCTURE.

Application filed December 9, 1919.

To all cuhom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT KERR, Sr., a cltlzen of the United States,and resident of Manhattan, county ofRiley, State of Kansas, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ventilated-SeatStructures, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention pertains to seats and has particular reference to theseats of automobiles, and aims to provide a ventilating structure inrelation to the outer surface of either or both the seat bottom and theback of the seat.

For this purpose I provide a frame carrying a layer of perforated orventilating material, and which is adapted to be supported by said framein spaced and ventilating relation to the outer face of either the seatbottom or the back of the seat.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of frames carryingperforated material for ventilating purposes for both the seat bottomand the back of the seat.

and means for supporting one of the frames at various elevations withreference to the back of the seat, together with connections between thesame, permitting said variation of the position of said first frame;

With these general objects in view the invention will now be describedby reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form ofconstruction for embodying the improvement, after which the novelfeatures therein will be particularly set forth as claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a seatstructure having ventilating devices embodying the present improvement;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale, showing the ventilatingdevices with one of the same partly broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detailed view of a portionof one of thedevices.

Referring shows a seat structure such as is commonly provided inautomobiles, and comprising a back frame 4, and a seatbottom rest 5, onwhich is supported a seat bottom designated generally by the numeral 6,to the rear of which is mounted a back rest structure, designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 7. Both the seat bottom and the backrest structures comprise a plurality of resilient spring elements 8,over which Specification of Letters Patent.

to the drawing in detail, this Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

Serial No. 343,625.

is positioned layers of cushioning material 9, faced with coverings 10,of suitable flexible material, such as leather or the like.

It is found by experience, and particularly in the case of automobileseats, that there is a tendency to freely perspire about those parts ofthe body which are in contact with the surface of the seat structure.This is particularly annoying since it .de tracts from the comfort ofthe person,- and soils his clothing by the increased tendency to pick updust and grease by those portions of the clothing which have becomemoistened, and in addition to which these moist portions tend to mar thefinish of the surface of the seat with which they come into contact. Toovercome these disadvantages, I have devised a ventilating construction,adapted to be interposed between either or both the back rest and theseat bottom and the person occupying the seat. lVhile this constructionmay be incorporated as a part of the original seat structure, Iillustrate my improved feature as embodied in a device which maybeapplied either temporarily or permanently to the seat, for example tomerely that portion of the seat representing the drivers position, wherethe advantages due to the device are especially to be desired. For thefront face of the back rest I employ a frame of suitable proportions,and comprising side members 12, shapedto conform to the curvature of theback, and connected by a thin sheet of light material 13, across therear edges of the members 12, whereby a smooth surface is provided forsupporting the frame against "the leather facing 10, of the back rest.At

the top and bottom theside members are connected by transverse pieces14, having grooves 15, for receiving the upper and lower edges of asheet or layer of perforated material 16, such as interwoven strands ofrattan, or the like, to provide a ventilating screen. The edges of saidlayer of material 16 are clamped in said grooves 15, as well as insimilar grooves 15, at its sides in the side members 12, by means ofstrips 17- pressed tightly into said grooves. In this wa an air space 18is left between the materlal 16 and the back of the seat for allowingfree circulation of the air to the rear of said screen material.Asimi'lar frame work is provided for the seat bottom, but comprisingsubstantially straight side members 20, connected at the bottom by asmooth'sheet of strips 25, the same as the back frame above described.This results in a free air circulating space 26, being left between thematerial 21, and the bottom of the screen.

A pair of flexible strips 27, are secured to the upper ends of the sidemembers 12, and provided with a series of eyelets 28, where- I by theback frame may be secured at varying elevations with reference to theback of the seat by means of buttons or screw-eyes 29, as illustrated inFig. 1. The lower ends of said members 12 are provided with straps 30,adapted to be connected with straps 31 at the rear end of the members20, buckles 32 being provided for the adjustable connection of saidstraps and 31, and thus permitting the vertical shifting of the backframe without changing the position of the seat frame.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and inexpensivearrangement and construction for effectively carrying out the desiredobject of the invention, it being apparent that the open air spaces. 18and 26,

. provide ample clearance for full and free circulation of the airbetween the body of the person and both the back rest and the bottom ofthe seat, and the screens of perforated material 16, and 23, leaves theclothing of the person at these points exposed to the effectiveventilating action of the air in said air spaces. Thus any excessiveaccumulation of moisture, such as is usually experienced, is preventedand the other disadvantages hereinbefore enumerated are likewiseovercome.

conform to said back and provided with, Ymeans for adjustably securingsaid frame at varying elevations with reference to said,

back, the frame being also provided with a layer of perforating materialadapted to be supported by said frame in spaced relation to said back ofthe seat in position for engagement with the back of the personoccupying such seat.

2. The combination with a seat having a back portion, of a pair offrames provided with layers of perforated material adapted to besupported by said frame in spaced relation to the back and bottom. ofthe seat respectively, and means for adjustably securing together theadjoining edges of said frame.

3. The combination with a seat having a back portion,

to be supported by said frame in spaced relation to the back and bottomof said seat respectively, means for supporting one of said frames atvarying elevations with reference to said back, and means for adjustablyconnecting the adjoining edges of said frames.

In witness whereof I hereto flix my signature.

ROBERT KERR, sR.

of a pair of frames provided with layers of perforated material adapted

